nickel



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. NICKEL. DAMPER ACTION FOR GRAND PIANOS.

No. 588,594. Patented Aug.24,1897.

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A. NICKEL.

DAMPER ACTION FOR GRAND PIANOS.

Patented Aug. 24,1897.

. back rail a UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

ADAM NICKEL, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

DAMPER-ACTION FOR GRAND PIANOS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 588,594, dated August 24, 1897.

Application filed May 3, 1897. Serial No. 684,828. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADAM NICKEL, of New York city, county and State of New York, have invented an Improved Damper-Action for Grand Pianos, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to an improved damper-action for grand pianos, and more particularly to the means for supporting the sustaining-rod that holds the temporarily-raised dampers away from the strings during the depression of the sustaining-pedal. Heretofore this sustaining-rod was either connected to the piano-action proper (in contradistinction to the damper-action) or it was separately secured to the piano-case. Both of these constructions are objectionable, the former because it renders access to and adjustment of the sustaining-rod difficult, and the latter because it necessitates additional labor in securing such rod in place. I propose to adj ustably secure the sustaining-rod to the same brackets that support the damper-rail and lifters, so that the whole of the damper-action forms a connected entirety which may be readily slipped into the case and which allows full exposure and adjustment of the sustainingrod previous to the insertion or upon the withdrawal of the piano-action proper.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved damperaction; Fig. 2, a vertical section on line 2 2, Fig. 3; Fig. 3, a sectional plan; Fig. 4:, a de tail showing the engagement between sustaining-rod and lifter; and Fig. 5, a detail crosssection on line 5 5, Fig. 2.

The letters A A represent a pair of damper-brackets adapted to be screwed to the piano-case and supporting the damper-rail a, pivoted thereto at a, and an additional To the rail a are pivoted at b the damper-levers b, that carry the lifters b and are engaged at their forward ends by keys B. To limit the upward motion of the damper-levers, there is screwed to an upper arm A of bracket A the block-rail d.

e is the sustaining-rod, which is provided with alongitudinal flange, feather, or nose 6, and is adapted to be rocked in its bearings upon the depression or release of the sustaining-pedal. This rocking motion is transmitted to the rod 6 by means of a lifter f engaging a crank f, rigidly connected to the rod. After a key is depressed a pressure upon the sustaining-pedal will throw the flange 6' upward and beneath a preferably spring-hung nose 0 of the lifter b so that such lifter is maintained in its raised position as long as the sustaining pedal remains depressed. Upon the release of the sustaining-pedal the sustaining-rod is rocked downward by the pedal-sprin g to withdraw its flange out of the path of nose 0 and permit a descent of the damper.

I propose to adjustably secure the sustaining-rod c to the same brackets A that carry the damper-rail a, so that in this way all the parts of the damper mechanism form a con nected entirety.

To carry the invention into effect, I provide each bracket A with a slotted forwardlyprojecting arm A that receives the shank of an upright screw g. This shank is preferably flattened, Fig. 5, to prevent rotation within the slotted arm. The upper end or head of screw g is perforated to constitute the bearing for the trunnion of rod 6, which is thus free to rock backward or forward. In order to permit vertical adjustment of the rod 6, the screw 9 carries nuts 9 9 above and below arm A respectively, which on being manipulated in the usual manner cause the screw to be raised or lowered. A horizontal adjustment of the rod 6 may be effected by a set-screw h, which passes through the screwshank 9 within the slot of arm A and impinges against the base of such slot.

It will be seen that with my construction all the parts of the damper-action, including damper-rail, block-rail, and sustaining-rod, are supported by the common brackets A and form one connected mechanism, which may be readily slid into the case. After the damper-action has been inserted and secured in place, the sustaining-rod is fully exposed and freely accessible for adjusting purposes. Not until this adjustment has been effected is the piano-action proper secured in place in front of the damper-action. Furthermore, as all the parts of my improved damper-action are connected to each other the action can be delivered by the action-manufacturer to the rod hung within the perforated screw-head, substantially as specified.

In a damper-action l'or grand pianos, the combination of a damper-bracket having a forwardly-extending slotted arm with a flattened perforated screw, a sustainin g-rod hung within the perforation of the screw, and with a pair of nuts and a set-screw for causing a vertical and horizontal adj ustmcnt of the screw, substantially as specified.

ADAM NICKEL.

Vitnesses:

PHILIP MENoEs, CHAS. MUHLENFELS. 

